Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-24
THE THIRTEENTH JUROR.

For days and days the case had dragged
along. Ii had taken a long time TO ex-
anime the numerous witnesses. Then the
lawyers had TO be heard, and finally his
honor had delivered a charge of eXtraor-
dinary length and profundity.
felt relieved when l entered the jury
room with my eleven companions. Surely
we could come TO q decision in n few
minutes.
To my mind everything WAS perfectly
clear The defendant, Max Steinway,
was guilty Of murder. True, no human
eve had seen him commit the crime, but
the circumstsntial evidence WAS dead
against him.
! formed an unfavorsble opinion Of
Steinway from the first. He was for
eigner, little past middle age, striRingly
handsome, but with . sinister gleam in
his cold gray eyes. Our plain country
people did not like his ways. He never
mingled with his neighbors, and there
was a naughty, repellsnt air about him
that offended strangers and all alike,
We rather resented the coming of this
man into our old fashioned community,
where one man was regarded as the equal
of any other man, and where great stress
WAS laid upon neiehborly virtues. But
We could not help ourselves. We could
not even make life pleasant for poor Mrs.
Steinway, and We felt sure that the un-
fortunate lady needed the sympathy and
society of the outside world
Mrs. Steinway was pale and thin enough
when she moved into the gloomy Old house
which her hu shand had purchased, but a.
the months passed on she grew still paler
and thinner. She never smiled, and 1t was
easy TO see that she stood in deadly fear
OF her proud, stern master.
The Steinways consumed 10 live in their
solitary way. The village was only a mile
from their place, but they did not visit il
more than three or four times year. of
course, people talked about them. We
wondered who they were, where they
came from and what they We're doing
among us Ii leaked out that Steinway
was little cranky on various scientific
subjects. He spent most of his time study
ing chemistry and electricity. When We
heard this we gave him up. Science and
book learning were rather below par in
our bailiwick. and We had a wholesome
dread Of cranks.
The murder did not surprise people. II
seemed natural that something horrible
shouid occur at the Steinway cottage.
murderer in the very act, although, as
said before, nobody saw the man do the
deed Gilmer and Peake were returning
home in the twilight, and just as they
were passing q little summer house ar
rangement in Steinwsy's yard they heard
q woman's cry for help. They leaped over
the fence rushed 10 the spot, but they We're
too late. Mrs. Steinway's dead body was
lying on the ground and her husband WAS
rising to his feet with . bloody dagger in
his hand'
This made powerful impression on the
trial. The servants swore that the dag
ger belonged to Steinway, and in fact it
bore his name on the handle. They
swore, too, that the husband and wife
lived unhappily, and that Steinwsy had
frequently threatened his wife. Against
all this there was nothing but the prison
er's statement. He denied the alleged i'll
treatment Of his wife, but said that she
had shown symptoms Of mental derange-
ment for some time, and he had been com
pelled to watch her closely and restrain
her movements. On the evening of the
tragedy he said that he heard the cry in
the summer house. He flew there, and 10
his horror found his wife dead with a dag
ger plunged 10 the hilt in her breast Ii
was while he was drawing the weapon
from the wound that Giimer and Peake
hsd come upon him.
Such, in substance, was the story told
In the court room, and this was what We
twelve men were locked up 10 decide
upon.
1t was after dark when we entered upon
our deliberations. We had no candles and
they were not needed. Through two win
dows the moonlight streamed into the
room, making it as bright as day, except
i'll the corners and around the edges.
He is guilty of murder" spoke up one
Of the jurors, in a brisk, aggressive way.
There can be no doubt Of it "
Certainly" said another.
''Of course" chimed in.
'Why did we leave the box at sll,''
asked the man next 10 me Our minds
were made Up when We heard the evil
dence.'
This was telling lick Country jurors
hate to admit that the speeches Of the
lawyers and the judges charge aid them
in arriving at a conclusion.
A general chorus Of voices expressed
the most positive belief in the prisoner :
guilt.
We'll" remarked the foreman ..as il
is unanimous, III just knock on the door
and have the court notified that we have
agreed upon our verdict. No fun in stay
ing here all night, you know"
You are too fast, said a juror in one
of the shadowed corners. 1.-The evidence
is very far from convincing me that Stein
way is guilty. 1t only points that way.
but il leaves a reasonable doubt, and il is
our duty 10 discuss all the testimony
calmly and fairly"
81 beg your pardon" replied the fore
man disappointedly, Il thought We had
heard from everybody and that We We're
all of the same mind. We are ready TO
hear you"
Again the voice from the shadow spoke
out.
Let us put away our prejudice, " said
the speaker" 1t must be admitted that
deep down in our hearts We have cherished
an unfriendly feeling toward this man.
He is foreigner. He is selfish and proud.
He dislikes us, and 10 We dislike him.
Now that he is in trouble We feel disposed
to believe everything that is against him,
and nothing that he says for himself. 1t
is natural, but is il rights'
took the floor and protested against
such reflections upon our integrity and ill.,
tcillkcncc.
Several others followed NE on the same
line.
"Hsl hs"' laughed the juror in the
shadow Don't deceive yourselves.
Imagine one Of us-our foreman, for in.
stsnce-in the prisoners place, and you
would scqnit him at once"
1t WAS = center shot, and it demorslized
rs.
well, yes" / answered; because il
ne told Us that he had found his wife
dead, and had drawn the dagger from her
body, and explained the alleged i'll treat
ment, a story supported only by the resu
mony of ignorant negro servants, by say
ing that he had TO restrain her on socOun
of her mental condition, | should believe
him, because have always known him e
be truthful and kind hearted
Good" exclaimed the man who wa!
arguing with us. We'll, my friend, moth
ing whatever is known of the character O
this man Steinway. You are to presume
4 = l.;,; f,,t h,,t,